Is There Really Hope?
by Kitty Cat O'Hara
Summary: Working on the title... While at Tara, after Rhett left he her on the road Scarlett gets an unexpected visitor. Soon everything changes between them and Scarlett must choose happiness or her old hope? T in case.
1. Rhett Butler

**I got this idea yesterday. I have a million ideas in my head and want to get some down to see what you guys think. Please review and I own nothing 'cept stuff I make up!**

"Is this," the short captain said as he looked at the grimy scrap of paper in his hand, "Tara? And are you a Miss Scarlett O'Hara?"

Scarlett looked at the dirty captain in her doorway. His once proud gray uniform was now patched with blue fabric and clumsy stitching.

'What has happened to the proud state that used to be Georgia?' Scarlett thought to herself as she controlled herself not to cry.

"Yes, it is and I am. Why are you here, Captain?"

He cleared his throat, "I'm Captain Jim Henson, ma'am. There's a soldier here, he asked to be brought her. Said he knew a Scarlett O'Hara. I was wondering if you wanted to take him."

She scanned her brain for any soldiers she knew near here but the only soldier she could think of was the dead Yankee lying under the arbor. That and Ashley and no, it couldn't be!

Her eyes widened. "Who, who is he?" her voice shook as she spoke.

He looked at the paper again. "Butler, ma'am, Captain Rhett Butler."

Her hand went to her heart. "Will you take him, ma'am?"

She struggled to not faint. "Yes- yes, Captain." She tried to think straight amid the horrid thoughts in her mind. "Pork?" she called up the stairs. The tall black man walked into the receiving room where the captain and Scarlett stood.

"Yes'm?"

"Can you- can you take this man up to the room. Second on the left."

"Yes'm." He led the captain up the stairs and she saw two other men carry a stretcher in. 'How did they do this?' her mind screamed, but then she remembered that this was Rhett Butler. 'His money.'

The man on the stretcher was not the man who had left her on the way to Tara. His once smooth and dark face with joking black eyes was pale and twisted in pain. His eyes were closed and Scarlett imagined them dull and flat against his pale skin. It was now only a shade or two darker than her own was.

She grabbed the railing and quietly followed the small parade up the stairs. Pork led them to the room and as soon as she entered, Scarlett almost screamed. Without thinking, she had put Rhett in the room beside hers. The one with a door that lead to her room. Rhett Butler, connected to her room? It was unheard of and Scarlett again almost screamed.

The two other men placed Rhett on the wide bed and left. The captain lifted his hat and left as well.

Scarlett walked beside the bed and placed a cold hand on Rhett forehead. "Fever," she whispered to herself. "Pork, go and get me some cold water, a cloth, and Melly."

Melanie had been recovering well since having a baby and had seemed to like nursing before. Maybe she could help.

Pork left and Scarlett kept her hand where it was. Until the cloth and water came, the best thing to do would to be to have a cold hand on a warm forehead.

GWTWROXGWTWROXGWTWROX

Rhett felt something cold press against his aching head and opened his eyes ever so slightly. He saw black curls and what had been haunting him since the day he had last kissed Scarlett. Emerald green eyes.

"Scarlett," he said so softly Scarlett, who was only a foot or two away, couldn't hear it.

GWTWROXGWTWROXGWTWROX

Melanie opened the door slowly and lifted her face to see the guest. When she saw his face her heart shaped face broke into a smile and she fell into his arms.


	2. Bandages

**Hola! I'm back. I'm really sorry about the long waits! I hope this chapter's worth the wait. I'm going to try to make it longer than my others. Thanks!**

Scarlett sighed. "So, is there anything else wrong with you, Rhett Butler?" she asked even though she knew he couldn't answer at the moment. Pork entered the room and handed a pail of clear, cold water and a small cream-colored cloth to Scarlett. "Thank you, Pork."

"Yes'm." He started to shuffle out of the room. "I's goin' ta find Miss Melly'm."

"Alright, Pork." She sighed again and turned her eyes from the black man to the man on the bed in front of her.

"I told you it was a stupid idea," she said angrily. She dipped the cloth into the pail and wrung it out. She placed it on his forehead, hoping it would bring down the awful temperature.

While the cloth stayed in place, she decided to see if anything else was wrong with Rhett. "Hmm," she thought to herself, "No blood I can see. Great balls of fire, what if they're a cut on his chest? How am I supposed to do that? Damn you, Rhett Butler."

She stood up and walked to the door, leaning against it and putting her own forehead against the doorpost. "What am I supposed to do? Mother would know what to do." She stopped herself. She couldn't think about her mother now. Nevertheless, the thought was still in her mind and she remembered when she had found her mother: dead.

"_It's still there! Prissy, it's still there!" She went running for her home, Tara. "The damn Yankees didn't get it!"_

_She burst through the door. "Pa! Mammy! Mother!" She saw a shaken Gerald emerge and she ran to hug him. "It's me, Pa. Katie Scarlett. Your Katie Scarlett's home."_

_He hugged her back but still had that awful shaken look on his face. She opened her eyes to see Mammy walk out of the kitchen. "Mammy!" _

_She ran for her and put her head on the old woman's breast. "Mammy, I've missed you so much. Mammy, Mammy."_

"_Ma honey chile is home again! Miss Scarlett, you's home." _

"_Yes, Mammy, I'm home." She stepped away for a moment. "Where's Mother?" She turned around and headed for her mother's office._

"_Mother! Mother!" She opened the heavy door and was hit by the familiar and comforting smell of lemon veranda. "Mother?" She saw something long in the corner and headed toward it. "Mother?" she asked quietly._

_She saw a hauntingly pale face and it took a moment for her mind to register whose face it was. "M-mother?"_

_She screamed and fell against her mother's form. "No!" She sobbed into the black skirts. _

_After a few minutes, she stood up but had to turn away. She couldn't look at her mother's face. "Mother shouldn't be like this. Why is she like this? The letter said she was just a little sick, said she was going to be better. I even prayed!" She looked at the ceiling. "You let me down again."_

She saw Pork return with Melly trailing behind him, a huge smile on her face. "What is it, Scarlett darling?"

Scarlett led her in the room. "Who's that?" Melanie asked Scarlett quietly.

"Pork you can leave." Scarlett couldn't deal with them both at the same time.

"Yes'm." He exited and she heard him walk slowly down the stairs.

Scarlett took a step forward and Melanie followed on her heels. "It's a certain blockade runner, Melly."

Melanie looked from the bed to Scarlett's set face. "It isn't?" Melanie couldn't think this way. There was no way that Rhett Butler would be in a bed at Tara, Scarlett O'Hara Hamilton's beloved plantation. Not unless, unless fate was working. Melanie smiled. She knew Rhett had loved Scarlett and she knew Scarlett was fighting feelings for him. She didn't know why they didn't realize it but she had let them handle their own affairs so far. Now she could just help fate along…

"Yes, it's him. Rhett Butler." She said his name as if it were an awful taste in her mouth.

"She's still mad at him for leaving us on the way to Tara. I knew he helped us escape but he never made it to Tara," Melanie thought.

Melanie stepped to the bedside and Scarlett stood beside her. "He has a fever and no cuts _I can see_."

Melanie understood her meaning and started to blush. "I suppose he'd understand, I mean, he's probably hurt, Scarlett."

Scarlett's hands clenched and she gritted her teeth. Her emeralds were shining. "And- and," this was where Melanie had to get the courage to move fate along. "And, since I'm married it's probably better for you to do it, Scarlett."

Scarlett looked at Melanie, trying to read her expression and thoughts. "What is she planning?" Scarlett asked herself. "Fine, Melly. You have to stay here too though. I don't want to think about what Mammy would do if she thought I would do this alone."

"I understand, Scarlett dear." Melanie removed the cloth from his forehead and put her small hand on his forehead.

"Damn you, Rhett Butler," Scarlett mumbled under her breath. She unbuttoned his white shirt to reveal tan skin.

"I'm going to go and get a new cloth Scarlett." Melanie left before Scarlett could think; much less say reason for her to stay.

"God's nightgown!" She pulled his shirt off. There was cloth bandages covering most of his chest. She took a deep breath and slowly peeled part of the bandage away. She pulled all of the dirty cloth away from his body and saw a red line across his tanned chest. "Great balls of fire."

She turned and walked into the door that would lead to her room. She sorted through her scanty pile of clothing and found an old nightgown. She still had one she could where tonight. She took it into Rhett's room. She started to rip it at the seams. She soon had a number of cream white colored strips of cloth. "This should work."

She began by putted the cloth underneath him and bring it around and to the side to tie a knot. She tried to be somewhat gentle so he would remain in his sleep, or whatever it was. She sighed and started to hum to herself. It took her a moment to realize that she was humming When This Cruel War Is Over. She shook her head, trying to get the song out of her head but it refused to leave.

It was the song she had sung to Rhett, so long ago when he bid to dance with her. Since the song refused to leave her mind she thought maybe she could sing it and he would remember. She wasn't sure why she wanted him to remember dancing with her but she did.

"Dearest one do you remember, when we did last meet?  
How you told me you loved me, kneeling at my feet.  
How proud you stood before me, in your suit of gray,  
Vowed for me and country ne'er go astray.  
Weeping sad and lonely, smiles and tears how vain!  
When this cruel war is over pray we meet again!"

GWTWROXGWTWROXGWTWROX

Ashley Wilkes leaned back into one of the only chairs at Tara. Melanie had opened the door and greeted him half an hour ago and he knew she had work to do. He could wait. He saw Prissy walk down the stairs, a child in her arms.

"Here you is, Mist' Wilkes. This here's yo chile, Beau."

Ashley stood up and walked toward the small black girl. He took the bundle from her arms and held it close to his face. A small hand reached up and grabbed a lock of blonde hair. Ashley chuckled and sat on the chair again. "So this is my boy."

Melanie walked in but Ashley didn't notice, he was so engrossed in his child's face. "Do you like him, dear?" she asked quietly.

He looked up and noticed his wife for the first time. "Yes, Melanie, he's perfect."

Melanie smiled and sat beside her husband and put a finger out for Beau to grab. They seemed to make the perfect family picture.


End file.
